Corner-iron for veh icle-bodi es



(No Model.) 2 Slazeets-Sheet 1.

B. F. SWEET.

OORNRR IRON POR VRRIOLR BODIES.

No. 263,441. PatentedAug. 2O, 1882.

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ARVTOHII MI i 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)-

B. Ik SWEET.

OORNRR IRON ROR VRRIOLR BODIES.

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CORNER-IRON FOR VEHICLE-BODIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 263,441, dated August29, 1882.

Application filed March 4, 1882. (No model.)

o all whom zt may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. SWEET, of Fond du Lac, in the county ofFond du Lac, and in the State of Wisconsin, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Corner and Seat Irons, 85o., for Wagon andSleigh Bodies; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to corner and other irons used in the manufactureof Wagon and sleigh bodies, as will be more particularly set forthhereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view ot the corner of awagon-body With one of my-irons in place. Fig. 2 is a horizontalcross-section of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion ofa Wagon-body, showing my corner, side, and seat irons in place. Fig. 4is a horizontal cross-section, showing one of my side irons in place;and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of my skeleton frames detachedfrom the corner of a Wagon-body.

In making my Wagon and sleigh bodies I make the entire box of Wood,joining the corners in any usual manner, preferably with glue joints. Inthe example shown I have represented a box, A, Whose sides A and ends A2ilare upwardly and outwardly; and I have also shown an interior ledge orrim of Wood, A3, ruiming all around the box next to the base of theliaring sides and ends, into which the bottom A4 of the wagon-box isfitted; but these details are immaterial. Inside of this box, at eachcorner, I place an gle-pieces or cleats B, of wood, whose outer verticaledges are beveled to the shape shown in Fig. 2.

My corner-irons C consist of two uprights, c c, joined at top and bottomby the flanges or plates d c, forming a skeleton frame, of iron or othersuitable metal, the uprights being triangular in cross-section, so thattheir inner edges will fit closely against the sides and ends A A2 ofthe wagon-body and within the vertical beveled edges of the woodenangle-pieces or cleats B, all as shown in said Fig. 2. These skeletonirons can therefore be readily pushed into place and down to the bottomof the wagon-box, and will thus be securely locked against any lateraldisplacement, and when in proper position can be readily secured bymeans of screws or bolts through the holes in their hanged plates at topand bottom.

The side irons, C', are ot' generally similar construction, except thatof course their l[op and bottom lianged plates are shaped to the sidesof the wagon at their inner edges and not projected into angles, aswould be necessary at the corners, and the Wooden dovetailed or beveledcleats B', projecting from the sides of the wagon-body, are flat,instead of angular, all as clearly indicated by the View incrosssection, Fig. 4, the vertical edges of these cleats B', like thesimilar edges of the cleats B, daring out from the back Where they jointhe sides of the box toward the center of the Wagon-body, so as to formthe same sort of a lock for the metal frame O that the edges of theangle-cleats B do for the frames G.

The top flan ged plates, d, of my various irons project laterally orupward or outward, as the case may be, and are provided, when necessary,with holes to receive scre\v-bolts, te., according to the position theparticular iron occupies or the use to which it is to be put. Forinstance, in Fig. 1, I show a corneriron with upper perforatedextension, e', of the top flange to accommodate the bolt of adash-board. Again, in Fig. 3 are shown several varieties of irons withdifferent extensions of their top flanges-viz., those for supporting therail or back-rest of the seat and one for affording a handgrasp Whengetting into the Wagon, Ste-a but these details do not affect theessence of my invention, which consists in the metal skeleton frameadapted to be slid onto and held in place by the Wooden cleats (eitherflat or angie-shaped) by reason of the angles of their vertical edgescoinciding with the angles of the edges of the said cleats.

These irons contribute much to the strength and finish of wagon-bodies,and my cornerirons hold the ends and sides of the box lirmly togetherwithout the necessity of any outside application, thus leaving a smootheven outer surface entirely of Wood.

By reason of the peculiar shape of my corner-irons one can be ttedinside of another, and thus secure economy of space in packing, asindeed can my side and other irons when it is necessary to transportthem in quantity from one point to another, and as the angle ofinclination ot' these irons always corresponds to the dare ofthe sidesand ends of the Wagon or sleigh box or body, one body can thus be placedinside of another in packing or storing them to the great saving ofspace. The anglepieces or cleats are made of wood, in order to get gluejoints, and the skeleton frames fitting over these cleats are made ofmetal, in order to secure the greatest strength within the smallestcompass, and thus avoid taking up too much space inside of the body.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a wagon or sleigh body, a metal frame consisting of two upright-s,connected by top and bottom flanges, adapted to slide over a dovetailedor beveled cleat on the said body, and to be secured in position whenpushed to place, as set forth.

2. A skeleton metal frame for Wagon and sleigh bodies, consisting ot'the uprights c c, triangular in cross-section, and united by top andbottom flanges, and having top perforated extension, e, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this3d day of Fel ruary, 1882.

BENJAMIN F. SVEET.

Witnesses HAROLD G. UNDERWOOD, E. G. AsMUs.

